A bright spot during a frustrating time was teaching the kids to finger knit today. I really got the idea because Charlotte needed something to do and she just loves crafts. After a few minutes everyone else wanted to give it a try as well.
At the end of last week Silas came down with a cold which he quickly shared with Ella and me. Ella has viral induced asthma so she's having a rough time with her cough and has to use an inhaler everyday (normal when she gets a cold). I'm fighting it, hoping it doesn't settle into my lungs again, forcing me to take antibiotics and steroids again and hoping Ella gets over it quickly. I'm using Doterra essential oils - rubbing Oregano and Onguard on our feet twice a day. I'm also putting Oregano, Lemon, Melaleuca, and Peppermint in a mug of hot water and then I breathe in the steam a couple times a day. And I made a blend with Onguard, Oregano, Lemon, Melaleuca, and Frankincense (in a carrier oil) that I put on Silas' feet, neck, and chest a few times each day. I'm definitely seeing improvement in him and I think the oils are shortening the duration of his cold. It's frustrating to be sick again after just a couple weeks with nobody coughing around here! Lord willing, we'll be well again soon.
A bright spot during a frustrating time was teaching the kids to finger knit today. I really got the idea because Charlotte needed something to do and she just loves crafts. After a few minutes everyone else wanted to give it a try as well.
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I finally figured out how to get the photos off my camera and onto the computer. First there was software to install and more software to install and then something went wrong and Pete had to help me. Computers just don't like me. Here some pictures showing tidbits of life around here in the past couple of weeks. Birthday flowers, my new houseplant interest (that fern looked much smaller at the greenhouse were it was so sadly wearing a clearance price tag and longing for a home), the compost tea I'm making for the plants, a baby sweater blocking, toddler painting, some very handsome men
So much to do, so little time. Where do the days go? They are wonderful days (mostly) consumed by school and keeping everyone on task- and helping them get along. I have tiny moments to knit or read or think straight. These days I find, more often than not, that I have to use those tiny moments for sleep rather than accomplishing the things I really want to do. I'm not getting up as early as I'd like in the mornings and I often have to use that hour of required rest time that the kids have to actually put my head down for a bit too. Pete just got me a camera for my birthday so I'm trying to learn how to use it. I need TIME to read the manual, play around with it, and mess around on the computer to figure out how/where to store and edit the photos. I have a couple of knitting projects to finish and a few more to start before the baby is born but those all require TIME. And then there's this poor little blog that could surely use some help. Soon, soon I'll get to it. For now here's a picture (from my phone) of the yummy yarn I just got in the mail today to make Elizabeth Zimmermann's Baby Surprise Jacket (the link will show you the finished version of one of my favorite bloggers).
Each morning the kids and I gather at the table for a time that consists of Bible reading, prayer, and singing the hymn of the month. We also use this time to read/recite the poem of the month, go over some Greek and Latin word roots cards, and do our Tapestry of Grace read aloud. I also like to incorporate a separate thing I consider character study. Last fall we went through the book Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends by Sarah, Stephen, and Grace Mally. Today we are starting The Young Peacemaker by Corlette Sande. I am really looking forward to the lessons about handling conflict Biblically and hope and pray the children really take them to heart. I have seen that when we talk daily about relationships, love, kindness, and how we should treat eachother, it does make an impact. It's a lot of work, a lot of talking- but Lord willing they will leave this home well equipped to handle conflict in a way that is glorifying to God!
I haven't been here in awhile and I can see I really need to update some pictures. I'll try to do that soon!
Ready or not, Christmas came and went and here I am on January 2 working on my preparations for our second half of the school year. I've been sick almost since Thanksgiving, first with a respiratory infection, then a relapse a couple weeks later and along with that, the flu. We had to rearrange our plans to travel to Michigan for Christmas, shortening our trip and missing a party, but thankfully we were still able to go for 2 nights. This week I have THOROUGHLY enjoyed being home on a school break and just enjoying more relaxing days. I realized this afternoon that I've had no clue as to what time it is most of the time! I sort of wish I could live like that more often, but schooling this many kids requires a solid schedule. I'm not one to make "resoutions" for a new year. Resolutions come throughout the year when I see places that change can make me- or our family- better. And by better, I mean more faithful. More faithful at living out this calling God has given each of us. With that being said, I am going into 2015 with some new inspiration. Last week I checked a book out of the library. It's called the Nesting Place. I figured I'd flip through it and look at the pretty home décor pictures. Little did I know....I have to own this book and I wish I had the money to give it to every woman in my life! First of all, I opened the back to see who wrote it. I recognized the name (because it's unique) as being the "girl" who snagged one of my basketball coaches from my sophomore year in high school. I guess that was partly memorable because we girls all thought he was something special and were probably a bit jealous ;) So it's written by a Christian woman with a very sincere and kind heart who recognizes the importance of making your "nest" a place to welcome others, share God's love, and be a reflection of who you are. Her main message is "it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful." I LOVE that and I've heard it in my head since the day I READ the book from cover to cover. I've always thought of decorating as something I'll do "someday" because it's not really in the budget. But this book inspires you to do so many things that are free or thrifty- and some crafty too. She also mentions the home you step into that you're almost afraid to move for fear of messing something up. Let's not try to have that kind of home, okay? Seriously, I never could if I tried because I have so many "mess makers" here. But I totally got that. I've been to homes (even of people I'm close-ish to) where I felt like I was in a museum and I was scared to really be myself. There is beauty in the messes. In the reality that PEOPLE are in the business of growing, creating, LIVING here each day. Along with the whole decorating the nest idea, I've also had a bit of a knitting epiphany. 2014 was full of frustrating projects that I left undone. I tried to make too many things that take more concentration than I can dedicate to at this time in life. And it bothers me to see my stash of random unused yarn . So I decided to make a crazy stash blanket. I'm planning to keep it in the living room to add a bit of color and fun . Then I got to thinking- I could probably make a couple more blankets with the amount of yarn I have from nearly 14 years of knitting. So I'm simplifying my knitting goals- maybe a couple of simple blankets, pillow cover or two, and a couple of things for the baby. Back to my school prep. It was nice procrastinating with you :) Happy 2015. |
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December 2017
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